BUCKFIELD – Thousands of people attended the annual Labor Day parade here on Monday, part of the Community Days that spanned the weekend.

Town Manager Glen Holmes said it was the biggest and best parade ever.

“It was just fabulous, and everything worked together beautifully,” he said.

People lined Route 219 long before the parade started, many parking their cars an hour before the scheduled 10 a.m. start.

Spectators had much to see. As is customary, the John D. Long American Legion Post 58 led the parade followed by approximately 20 vintage cars while the Crazy Cops dashed around the streets in their tiny cars. Smokey Bear led a large procession of fire and rescue trucks from Buckfield, Sumner, Hebron, Turner, Norway and Paris.

Buckfield Rescue’s float depicted a scene from the TV show “M*A*S*H.”

Buckfield High School filled a float with students dressed as characters from “Harry Potter,” emphasizing the school’s literacy focus.

The marching band from Leavitt Area High School in Turner provided upbeat music for the crowd. Many other groups took part in the parade such as the Girl and Boy Scouts of America, Streaked Mountain ATV Club, the marching Firebirds from Sumner as well as students on bicycles from the elementary school. State Rep. Terry Hayes and state Sen. Bruce Bryant participated as well as the North Hill Riding Academy.

One highlight of the parade was a float depicting firefighters placing the flag at the site of the World Trade Center as a tribute to those who lost their lives on 9/11. A limousine was painted as a giant American flag.

The Buckfield Community Church sponsored a large tag sale, and the playing field behind the Municipal Center was full of booths serving food, showing jewelry and other crafts, a bouncing room for the kids, and various antique gasoline engines.

Festivities for the weekend started with a dance on Saturday night and a pig roast and firemen’s muster Sunday.

Holmes thanked everyone for their hard work putting together the best Community Days ever.